If you ever spent a Monday night watching Judge Lola Carmichael adjust her robe while navigating the chaotic hallways of the "HOJ" (Hall of Justice), you know that the tv show All Rise wasn't just another procedural. It felt different. It was messy. Honestly, it was a bit of a miracle that it survived as long as it did, considering the sheer amount of drama that happened off-screen.
Most legal shows follow a very predictable rhythm: crime, investigation, snappy closing argument, gavel bangs, credits. All Rise tried to break that mold. It focused on the "gray areas" of the Los Angeles legal system, led by the powerhouse Simone Missick as Lola. But for a show about seeking justice, its own journey through the television industry was anything but fair. From being the first show to film a virtual episode during the 2020 lockdowns to being axed by CBS and then resurrected by Oprah Winfrey’s OWN, the series lived a dozen lives in just three seasons.
The Lola Coaster: What Made All Rise Different?
At its heart, the show was about the "Lola Coaster." That was the nickname given to the unpredictable, high-energy environment surrounding Judge Lola Carmichael. She was a former Deputy District Attorney who didn't just sit on the bench; she pushed back against the "way things have always been done."
You had this fascinating dynamic between her and her best friend, Mark Callan (played by Wilson Bethel). He’s a prosecutor. She’s a judge. They’re eating fries on the roof of the courthouse, arguing about cases while trying to keep their friendship intact. It felt real. It wasn't just legal jargon; it was about how the law actually impacts people of color and the working class in a city like LA.
The supporting cast was equally deep. You had Emily Lopez (Jessica Camacho), a fierce public defender dealing with her own trauma, and Luke Watkins (J. Alex Brinson), a bailiff who eventually transitions into being a lawyer. The show excelled at showing the ecosystem of a courthouse—the clerks, the court reporters, and the cops—rather than just the people in the fancy suits.
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The Behind-the-Scenes Controversy That Changed Everything
We have to talk about the elephant in the room. While the tv show All Rise was winning praise for its diverse cast, the writers' room was experiencing a total meltdown. In 2020, five of the show’s original writers—including the three highest-ranking writers of color—quit.
Why? They alleged that the white showrunner at the time, Greg Spottiswood, ignored their input on race and gender. There were stories about scripts being "tone-deaf." One specific example that made headlines involved a scene where a Black character was stopped by police while jogging. The writers of color wanted a deep conversation between Lola and the character about the trauma of that moment; apparently, the showrunner initially pushed back, thinking it was too "common" to merit a long scene.
Eventually, Warner Bros. conducted an investigation. Spottiswood was kept on for a bit with a "corporate coach" (yes, really), but he was eventually fired in 2021 after more allegations of a toxic work environment surfaced. This turmoil is a huge reason why the tone of the show shifted so much between season one and season two.
Cancelled, Saved, and Cancelled Again
The ratings for All Rise on CBS were actually decent for a while. It pulled in about five million viewers an episode. But the controversy, combined with the high costs of filming in LA, led CBS to pull the plug in May 2021.
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Fans were devastated. The "Risies" (the show's dedicated fanbase) went to work on social media. It actually worked. A few months later, the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) announced they were picking up the show for a 20-episode third season.
What changed on OWN?
- The Tone: It got a bit more serialized and "soapy," which fit the OWN brand but felt slightly different from the CBS version.
- The Stakes: Lola faced a massive challenge to her judgeship, and the show leaned harder into the personal lives of the characters.
- The Ending: Unfortunately, even Oprah couldn't save it forever. OWN split the third season into two parts, and by the time the final episodes aired in late 2023, the writing was on the wall. The show was officially finished.
Why All Rise Still Matters in 2026
Looking back, the tv show All Rise was a pioneer. It was the first network drama to produce an episode entirely via Zoom during the pandemic (Season 1, Episode 21, "Slam Dunk"). It used the technology we were all stuck with—laptops, webcams, and spotty Wi-Fi—to tell a story about how justice doesn't stop just because the world does.
It also didn't shy away from the Black Lives Matter movement. In season two, Lola was actually arrested while trying to de-escalate a confrontation between police and a protester. You don't see that on Law & Order. It dared to make its lead character vulnerable and "wrong" in the eyes of the law she was sworn to uphold.
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What happened to the cast?
If you're wondering where everyone went after the series finale, they've stayed busy. Simone Missick continues to be a force in Hollywood, often discussed in circles regarding a potential return to her Marvel roots as Misty Knight. Wilson Bethel moved on to other projects, but his chemistry with Missick remains a high-water mark for TV friendships.
The Realistic Legacy of the Show
Basically, the show proved that there is a massive audience for legal dramas that don't treat the law like a black-and-white math equation. It showed that the system is made of people, and people are flawed.
If you're looking to revisit the series or watch it for the first time, it's currently available on various streaming platforms like Max and Hulu. It's worth a binge, if only to see how they managed to navigate the cultural shifts of the early 2020s in real-time.
To get the most out of the experience, start with the pilot and pay close attention to the transition between season two and season three. The shift in "network feel" is a masterclass in how different platforms target different demographics. You’ll notice the lighting gets warmer, the music gets more prominent, and the interpersonal drama takes a front seat over the "case of the week" format.
To dive deeper into the world of Judge Lola Carmichael, you can track the specific cases handled in Season 3, which took more "ripped from the headlines" risks than the earlier years. Watching the show chronologically also allows you to see the real-life progression of the cast's careers and how the production adapted to one of the most turbulent eras in television history. For those interested in the technical side, the "virtual" episode in Season 1 remains a fascinating time capsule of 2020 creativity.
Next Steps for Fans:
- Stream the full series: Check Max or Hulu to see all 58 episodes.
- Compare the Networks: Watch the first episode of Season 2 (CBS) back-to-back with the first episode of Season 3 (OWN) to see how showrunners adjust tone for different audiences.
- Follow the Creators: Look up Dee Harris-Lawrence’s newer projects, as she was the one who steered the ship through the show's most successful creative periods.